Shooting during the “golden hours” – The hour after sunrise and the hour before sunset are considered the golden or magic hours! At these times the sun is low in the sky creating a soft diffused light. Shoot continuously during this time as the light drastically changes by the minute.
Play around using the sun as a rim light, shooting into the sun for lens flare, or capturing the shapes that silhouettes create. Pay attention to the ground too, as this is when shadows are long and interesting.
You can easily track the sunrise/sunset times daily on weather.com!
Continuous or Burst Mode – This is a great function that both DSLRs and most point-and-shoots have. It makes the camera take several shots in a row as you hold down or release the shutter. This function is especially useful for capturing fast pace sports. Start clicking when your child is about to be in action and you will have a higher chance of capturing the perfect action shot.
Use this technique to create a series of expressions your child makes and display them in a gallery side by side. This is a cute way to document your child cracking up at a joke you told, or the process (and meltdown) of getting told “no!”
Keep in mind that this mode will fill up your memory card and drain your battery a bit quicker so be sure to have extras!
Freelensing – This is a fun (and inexpensive) way to turn a standard 50mm into a tilt shift or macro lens. It involves a little risk as you detach your lens from your camera and hold it out in front of the sensor, but it creates such dreamy and artsy images. This type of shooting and focusing can take a bit to get used to, but the mistakes created with freelensing are what make the images so unique.
If you are trying to capture something motionless, you can attach your camera to a tripod to give yourself an extra hand when focusing!
I hope that these tips inspire you to create amazing shots of your own children!
